


Collector

by NyanCittyKat



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Body Pillows, Collections - Freeform, Confessions, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Merchandise, Pining!James, Post-Voltron: Legendary Defender Season/Series 8, james being total nerd, probable smut as a bonus chapter, yes this takes place after season 8
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 07:53:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17076353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NyanCittyKat/pseuds/NyanCittyKat
Summary: To be fair, James didn't know what he was in for. He so fixated on winning that somehow he was rewarded with this... body pillow.It's not just any kind of body pillow, it was the former Black Paladin body pillow.





	Collector

**Author's Note:**

> this is like, my first jaith fic and it's about a body pillow im crying  
> see? this is why i draw and not write-- this isn't even good
> 
> but uh who knows, maybe someone will like it? i doubt it though pff

To be fair, James didn't know what he was in for. He so fixated on winning that somehow he was rewarded with this...  _body pillow_.

 

It's not just any kind of body pillow, it was  _the former_  Black Paladin  _body pillow_.

 

 

This all started with a small competition between him and Kinkade when they were at the "Clear Day" carnival.

 

 

Kinkade had lost two rounds out of three in a shooting match, consequently, James was gifted with an adorable plushie that he was very proud of. But since James was  _so_  nice, he offered another round, with Kinkade's cull of picking a different game to play.

 

 

Lo and behold, James won again.

 

And that was how he got the body pillow.

Of course, it was a shocker to them. James and Kinkade didn't know what the prize was, they only played to win because Kinkade was sulking.

Still, he could hear him thinking about how he preferred to lose rather than getting this.

 

Honestly, James had to agree.

 

 

The printed image on the comforter was almost accurate to Kogane's physical appearance. Although, the body-type looked more muscular than usual. It's possible that it might just be the artist's style— but it also seems like it was done on purpose.

Kogane's facial expression was... something.

 

Either way, this damn pillow became the bane of his existence. Obviously, his whole team knows about this— even Acxa. And they'd tease him relentlessly every day.

 

James didn't have a choice but to deal with it. 

 

—

 

When victory occurred with the sacrifice of the Altean Princess, including the Paladins' hard work, many created merch items to dedicate their respect and admiration.

Many things were added to the mall— posters, stickers, figurines, buttons— almost anything you could imagine.

 

And for James—well, he may or may not have a collection of almost all types of the Black Paladin merch.

 

 

He totally doesn't have a trading buddy at all either.

 

"What? Really? You got the lastest Shiro poster?" Curtis eyes beamed with excitement. "They ran out of it when I went to buy this morning!"

 

"Yep, but if you give me the BoM Kogane figurine, you can have it."

 

"Deal."

 

Nope, not at all.

 

—

 

 

Whenever James comes home and enters into his room, the first thing he acknowledges is the body pillow he got from Clear Day.

 

It's been a year (almost 2), he never really have guests over his house, but when he does, it's usually his teammates who already knew about the pillow.

 

Truthfully, the material of the pillow was actually quite comfortable, sometimes he finds himself drifting to sleep by just hugging it when he's in a bad mood.

 

And today, was one of those days.

 

 

Today was the Shiroganes' wedding.

 

It wasn't about them though, it was about Kogane.

 

 

James knew Kogane and Shiro were close— even an outsider could see that they have a remarkably strong bond.

James also knew that Kogane doesn't just look up to Shiro. Kogane liked Shiro.

 

 

No, Kogane  _loves_  Shiro.

 

 

And the look of devastation on his face when they kissed was the exact despair James felt looking at Keith since they were young.

All throughout the wedding, his eyes had never left Kogane. They stayed on him, watching his every subtle movement.

 

It's laughable, that this body pillow is the closest that he'll ever get to Keith.

____

 

"Hey, you mind if I use the bathroom?"

 

"Yeah, there's only one and it's in my room down the hall over there. Don't mind the mess."

 

Keith's eyes followed the direction of Griffin's hand that was pointing toward a small corridor.

He nodded and went ahead towards his room.

 

Keith had been invited to Griffin's house with the MFE pilots for dinner. The purpose was to make it up to him when Griffin made that comment about his parents. Keith at first declined. He thought it might've been awkward with his presence since he wasn't too close to the pilots.

Plus, it was a long time ago, he didn't even remember much about it back then.

 

Still, they managed to have a pleasantly good time.

 

 

Griffin had been around him more often—a week after Shiro's wedding—they started talking, this then went on for months. Their conversations were usually filled with random things, never really got too in dept.

Sometimes though, Keith would lead the small talks into somber ones. That was when he learned Griffin was a good listener— he was also a really good adviser. Still, that wasn't the only thing he learned.

 

Keith learned that his favorite animal is a scorpion— Surprising, right? He thought Griffin would've chosen something common like a dog or a cat.

Well, Keith likeness for hippos were deemed strange, so it was nice to hear someone's favorite animal was also exotic.

 

He learned Griffin's favorite color was cyan. He said it reminded him of the water in tropical places that he visited in the past when he was little.

 

It was that small things like this, made Keith realized he never knew Griffin that well.

 

 

But it wasn't just that. It was also the collection of himself in Griffin's room.

 

____

 

Kogane stood in the middle of the room. Surrounded by the posters, stickers, and plushies of himself.

But his eyes were stuck on that one singular bodypillow.

 

 _Fuck_.

 

Everyone had already left but, Kogane had decided to stay back for a while.

James had forgotten the stockpile in his room, it's been there for over 2 years. He never thought Kogane would ever come into his room.

 

 

He never thought Kogane would ever step foot into his house either.

 

 

"Kogane, I can explain—!"

 

"I knew you had merch of us but—"

 

"No— wait, please— don't go—"

 

"I thought I was creepy with my own collection of you."

 

 

_Wait, what?_

 

That is not a normal reaction to a person encountering a situation like this.

 

"You have a  _collection_  of me?

 

Kogane finally turned his head around, focusing his view on James.

 

"Yeah, they came out like a month ago. It was about time they gave you guys some recognition." he smiled, almost kindly.

"They're pretty hard to find though. I try to at least get the most I can when I encounter any of them."

 

James' mouth was agape. Who knew that the Leader of Voltron would have merch of him— out of all people.

 

He's never been so stunned. Ever.

 

 

"Y'know, it's a shame that something is already occupying your bed."

 

A hand with leather gloves crept from his shoulder to the back of his neck. It was then James finally snapped out of it.

 

 

"Why would you need that when you can have the real one here?"

 

 

He blinks once.

 

 

He blinks twice.

 

 

"Wh— I, uh..."

 

 

_Is this actually happening?_

 

Kogane starts pouting as James dragged out his answer with silence. He sighed, looking down at the space between them.

 

 

"I've always thought I needed Shiro. He was the center of my life."

"And for the longest time, my feelings for him only grew." Kogane paused, finally look up to James.

"But the time I spent with you for the last couple of months, you showed me there was so much more."

 

 

Kogane exhaled, "James... I—"

 

 

"I love you."

 

 

"Think I like— huh?" Kogane eyes started widening at his sudden admission.

 

 

_Oh my god, what is wrong with me?_

 

James' breathing quicken, Kogane was literally confessing to him and he  _interrupted_  him. Who is that stupid to interrupt in the  _middle_  of a  _confession_?

 

James. It was James

 

 

"I'm— I'm sorry, I know you're not ready for that kind of stuff. I just felt I needed to tell you before you leave."

 

Keith snickered, "Leave? Who said I planned to leave?"

 

 

Oh.

 

_Oh._

 

"I might not be able to say it back yet, but I like you. A lot." He sees Keith's face heating up. James couldn't help but find it adorable. He wonders if in the far future he'll be able to see more.

 

"So are we gonna kiss or something?"

"Well I mean, if you want to I guess." James knows his own ears are burning red, who wouldn't be when they're standing so close with the Keith?

 

 

Alas, their lips slowly met. It was almost too perfect. Keyword on "almost", because this room is in no way a romantic place. He had always fantasized kissing Keith near a cliff with a sunset. Or possibly at night where the stars are visible.

Nowhere had he thought it would be in his room with his posters and the damn  _bodypillow_.

 

 

Actually, it never really occurred to him that he would ever be able to kiss Keith.

 

 

James then heard his own belt getting unbuckled.

 

 

"Come on, you got another item to add to your collection."

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> should i put nsfw? ack im not sure.


End file.
